A spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kenneth Okonkwo, has openly criticized the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his handling of party matters.
Reflecting on his initial optimism following the 2023 elections, Okonkwo noted that many Nigerians, including himself, had “high hopes” for Obi.
Okonkwo, who joined the LP in 2022, accused Obi of failing to address the internal crisis plaguing the party. “Every member of the Labour Party is confused today as to the future of the Labour Party because of lack of leadership from PO over the party,” Okonkwo stated in a letter posted on X. “Unfortunately, when they look up to me to tell them about PO’s standpoint, I sincerely have nothing to tell them because I don’t know myself.”
The movie maker-turned-politician emphasized that Obi had not done enough to build the party and resolve its leadership issues. “I cannot continue to speak on behalf of a leader that I do not know his stand on issues of great importance. I simply don’t know how to manipulate facts,” Okonkwo remarked.
He expressed his disappointment in Obi’s lack of support for the Labour Unions that founded the party, aimed at fighting for workers’ welfare. “I am shocked that PO could not openly support the noble efforts of the Labour Unions to the extent that some of them are openly saying that PO is now the problem of LP,” he said.
Okonkwo further criticized Obi’s silence on efforts to combat those trying to hijack the party. “The Labour Unions now have the unfortunate situation where they are fighting criminals who want to hijack their party when an ordinary statement from PO would have brought the solution. I cannot continue with this ambivalence forever,” he concluded.
